Month: June 2018

Filling family lunch at Peri-Peri, Eastwood

Peri-peri (also spelled as piri-piri or pili-pili), is a type of chili that is grown in Southeastern Africa, taking its name from the Swahili term for “pepper.” Also known as the African bird’s eye chili, its cultivation and culinary use was spread by the Portuguese to their Indian territories.

When combined with salt, garlic, lemon, oil and vinegar into a sauce, called the peri-peri sauce, it provides a distinctive flavor to the chicken dish that also bears its name.

At Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, the chickens are trimmed of excess fat and marinated for 24 hours to achieve a tender and juicy meat before grilling, giving diners an explosion of spice and smokiness with every bite. Despite its exotic food offerings, Peri-Peri is actually a home-grown brand, part of the I-Foods, Inc. group, and has been in operation for over decade.

During a weekend shopping trip at the Eastwood City Mall, the family stopped over at this restaurant for lunch. We ordered:

  • Mozarella Sticks (Php150), served with marinara sauce and Ceasar dip. These crunchy sticks whetted our appetite for more.
  • Quarter chicken with Java Rice (Php195) for the little boy who is not so into side dishes.
  • Quarter chicken with Java Rice and Coleslaw (Php230) and a side of Hummus (Php65) for his dad.
  • Quarter chicken with Tortilla and Coleslaw (Php230) for me.
  • Quarter chicken with Java Rice and Bacon Mac & Cheese (Php240) for my soon-to-be college girl.
  • A carafe of cucumber lemonade (Php160), a really refreshing thirst-quencher during that hot day.

The array of side dishes we ordered and the sauces we chose from speak to the versatility of the peri-peri chicken in terms of taste. It can go well with rice or tortilla, accentuated by hummus or coleslaw.

All in all, the variety in taste and texture made for a filling family lunch.

This Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken is located at 2nd Floor, Eastwood City Mall, Libis, Quezon City. For reservations, call +63 2 4706884.

Other branches in Metro Manila are located in:

  • Alabang: Evia Lifestyle Center along Daang Hari Road (Tel: +63 2 8381016) and Lower Ground Floor, Alabang Town Center (Tel: +63 905 1113747)
  • Taguig: Ground Floor, Uptown Parade, Bonifacio Global City (Tel: +63 2 7174408) and Ground Floor, Venice Piazza, McKinley Hill (Tel: +63 917 4222097)
  • Pasig: Capitol Commons, Shaw Boulevard cor Meralco Avenue (Tel: +63 2 6560518) and in Ayala Malls Feliz, Dela Paz
  • Marikina: Ground Floor, SM City Marikina along Marcos Highway
  • Mandaluyong: Fourth Floor Building A and Third Floor Bridgeway, SM Megamall in Ortigas (Tel: +63 2 9412511)
  • San Juan: Second Floor, Promenade, Greenhills Shopping Center, Greenhills (Tel: +63 2 6558355)
  • Makati: Level 3, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center (Tel: +63 915 4055614)
  • Quezon City: Third Floor, Gateway Mall, Araneta Center, Cubao (Tel: +63 2 2934947), Ground Floor, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman (Tel: +63 2 2838917), Ground Floor, Trinoma Mall, Baging Pag-asa (Tel: +63 2 7184391) and Ground Floor, Brittany Square, Belfast Road corner Mindanao Avenue, Novaliches
  • Manila: Ground Floor, Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita

Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Learn more about South African cuisine by checking out these books on Amazon.com!

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Recipe: Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red velvet cakes are characterized by its bright red hue, due in part to the food coloring used and to the reaction of the vinegar and baking soda with the cocoa powder.

Red velvet cupcakes have grown popular over the years, particularly during Christmas and Valentine’s Day.

Here’s a variation on the recipe I found on Pinterest, adjusted due to availability of ingredients.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup buttlermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • Red food coloring
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 1/2 c all purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 c sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder

Procedure:

  • Pre-heat oven to 175-deg C and line muffin tins with paper cups.
  • In a large bowl, beat together oil, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar and vanilla extract. Add in a few drops of food coloring until you get a bright red color.
  • In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder.
  • Add the dry to the wet ingredients 1/2 cup at a time, mixing between each addition to avoid any lumps in the batter.
  • Using a regular 12-cup muffin pan, fill each cup 2/3 of the way with batter and bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack.

For the cream cheese frosting, double the recipe used in my Carrot Cupcakes post.

Recipe yields 24 cupcakes.

Now available: Goju Natural Fruit Infusion Drinks

Fruit infusion drinks are a growing trend, particularly among the health-conscious, and are often cited as a weight-loss or detox secret. Proponents of this trend report feeling healthier and more invigorated after including this type of beverage in their diet.

Infusing water with fruit also has the added benefit of adding flavor and zing to the otherwise plain ole’ H20 which is great for foodies like me who would gravitate more towards improvement in taste. Besides, any trend that will get one to drink more water should be good, hmmm?

Fruit-flavored or -infused water can be DIY-ed by immersing pieces of fruit into cold water for a period of time using specially designed water bottles and pitchers. However, some people do not have the time to scour the markets for fresh produce, obtain the necessary equipment and prepare their fruit infusion drinks.

Fortunately, Vida Nutriscience, the beauty, slimming and wellness company behind Snow Caps, My Slim, Crystal White and Snow Skin brands, is entering the ready-to-drink market with its new brand, Goju Natural Fruit Infusion.

Taking its name from the combination of “Go” and “Juice”, the new product line consists of five fruit juice concoctions packaged in brightly colored 330ml cans, each with its own unique taste, identity and health benefits.

  • Lemonade: A blend of natural lemons and packed with vitamin C, it helps in boosting energy, cleansing the kidneys and the urinary tract, losing weight and boosting the body’s defense system.
  • Mango and Orange: A blend of orange, mango, passion fruit, lemon and vitamin C, it helps in boosting immunity, improving digestion, losing weight and beautifying one’s skin.
  • Raspberry Lemonade.  A mixture of raspberry and lemonade, it helps in improving blood circulation, fighting inflammation, boosting energy and maintaining kidney health.
  • White Peach Passion Fruit. A concoction of natural white peach, passion fruit, pineapple, lemon and vitamin C, it helps in improving digestion, circulation and bone health and rehydrating one’s skin.
  • Orange. The old fashioned freshly squeezed orange juice now in a can, it helps in boosting the immune system and maintaining blood pressure levels.

I was given ten cans of Goju to sample so I shared the wealth and got my family and friends to try it out with various meals throughout the day.

I don’t like heavy breakfasts so I paired my Goju Mango Orange with some hopiang baboy for a light and energizing start to my workday.

A friend paired her Goju Lemonade with her packed veggie lunch, adding a burst of sweetness to her already healthy meal.  Meanwhile, while lunching out with officemates, I partnered our Goju Orange and Goju Raspberry Lemonade with our smoked pork ribs.

I treated myself to a snack of siopao asado while sipping on my Goju Orange.

Another friend brought home her Goju Lemonade and paired it with her homemade pizza dinner prepared by her kids.

My daughter, on the other hand, snacked on a GoJu Raspberry Lemonade to energize her while she’s doing her homework.

Our consensus on this new drink product as a whole are:

  • It gives a fresh (and currently relevant) twist on the traditional ready-to-drink beverage.
  • It has a fresh and natural flavor, similar to how a freshly made juice drink will taste.
  • It can be paired with various kinds of food, at different times of the day, making it a highly flexible and adaptable beverage.
  • It has a cool aesthetic as well, very Instagrammable and fun to look at.

To maximize your enjoyment of your own Goju Natural Fruit Infusion, remember the following:

  • Shake the can well before opening.
  • Keep it refrigerated as it is best served when chilled.
  • Avoid exposing the can to high temperature.
  • The drink contains natural ingredients so some sediments may appear.

Goju Natural Fruit Infusion is available at Landmark and Anson’s in Metro Manila and at CSI Supermarket in North Luzon.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Vida Nutriscience who also provided product samples for me to review.  Product details are provided by the company as well.

This post contains affiliate links.

DIY Taco Bar at Encima Roofdeck Restaurant, Makati

The appeal of Tex-Mex cuisine for me is the interplay of the fresh and tangy flavors of citrus, tomatoes and onions with the earthy and hearty fullness of its meat dishes.

Tex-Mex cuisine is front and center at City Garden Hotel’s Encima Roofdeck Restaurant with its first anniversary offering. I was invited, along with fellow bloggers, to experience Encima’s Taco Bar, which will be launched to the public on July 2.

Encima Roofdeck Restaurant has come a long way from its beginnings as a mere alternative to the hotel’s bistro downstairs, carving out its identity, adopting the name Encima (meaning “above”). The roofdeck resto does live up to its name, giving its diners a spectacular view of the Makati skyline and the city lights.

According to City Garden Hotel’s PR and Marketing Manager, Jo Ruales, the roofdeck restaurant’s Tex-Mex Menu was developed by the hotel’s powerhouse chefs: Chefs Mario Basig, J-Ann Fernandez and Dennis Peralta. Rinna Reyes, the hotel’s F&B Manager proudly shared the resto’s Tex-Mex offerings were hailed by the cities of Makati and Manila as one of the best in the country.

The twist to Encima’s Taco Bar is in giving the guests free rein to create their taco however they want. For only Php499, diners can mix and match from the ingredients found in the bar: crisp and soft tacos; a richly-flavored Mexican Rice; beef, pork and chicken filling; grated cheese and cheese sauce, chopped onions and tomatoes, and a host of other ingredients you can add to your heart’s content.

This unlimited do-it-yourself taco bar comes with bottomless margarita and sangria, two of the restaurant’s most popular drinks.

For non-drinkers like me, the resto also offers non-alcoholic drinks like the fresh mango shake they served me.

The Taco Bar will be open every night from July 2 to August 5.

The restaurant also has a happy hour from 4pm to 8pm wherein shooters are served for only Php50 and cocktails at Php99. Beers are also paired with Tex-Mex sampler plates.

Encima Roofdeck Restaurant is located at City Garden Hotel, 7870 Durban Street corner Makati Avenue, Poblacion, Makati. For reservations, call +63 2 899 1111.

Disclosure: Together with other bloggers, I was invited to attend a Thanksgiving Dinner held in this restaurant.  All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Five Things I Love About Honestbee

Being a homebody (and an introvert to boot), I’m sometimes loathe to leave the house to do some grocery shopping, whether after a tiring workday or during the weekends when I feel like I have earned my respite.

When an officemate clued me in on Honestbee, I was thrilled at the idea. Imagine doing your grocery shopping using your computer or any mobile device, and having your goods delivered right to your doorstep!

Honestbee is an online concierge and delivery service. It keeps a pool of trained concierge shoppers (called shopper bees) who make the trip to stores near your area, pick out the freshest produce or the items specified in your order, then forwards it to one of the delivery bees so that your orders reach you in the time you specified. It’s basically like having a personal shopper for groceries!

Having logged nine grocery orders from its partner store Robinsons Supermarket for the past three months, I feel that I have enough experience with the service to list down exactly why I love it:

  • The app is so easy to use. I mainly use the Honestbee mobile app as I try not to open my laptop at home (it’s my way of keeping my work life and home life separate). I simply downloaded the app on my phone and proceeded to use it. I’ve seen some reviews provide step-by-step instructions on how to use the service but, honestly, I don’t think those are necessary. Practically anyone who knows how to use a smartphone can navigate her way around the Honestbee app.
  • No more handwritten grocery lists. Planning the trip to the grocery store used to be such a complex production number for me. I had to plan the weekly food menu, check various storage spaces for items we are running low on, ask my family members what they need, list down all the items on a piece of paper that I hopefully won’t forget when I leave for the grocery store, yada yada yada… With Honestbee, I can just place my orders via the app as I’m checking the ref, or conferring with yaya, etc.
  • I don’t have to leave the house. Did I mention I’m a homebody? I’m the kind of person who can be perfectly content hanging around the house. The time I used to carve out for grocery shopping is time I now use to play with my kids, catch up on my reading or my favorite TV shows, try out new recipes or crafts, and, of course, write this blog! Presented with with option to pay via cash or credit card, I chose credit card, eliminating the mad dash to the ATM to pay for my purchases. Plus, with the rising gas prices and the stress of having to find parking in malls and supermarkets, I’m happy as a clam to stay right at home.
  • I get additional savings from promos and rewards. Since I shop for an average-sized household, I’m usually able to unlock the FREE DELIVERY reward which eliminates the flat Php45 delivery fee from the final bill. From time to time, Honestbee would also email me promo codes that shave off as high as Php500 for a minimum order of Php2,500. I just have to indicate the promo codes during checkout for the discounts to apply.
  • Its shopper and delivery bees are friendly and helpful. My usual shopper bee, Odessa, would text me with suggested alternatives if some of the items I ordered are out of stock. One of my delivery bees, Jeffrey, ventured out in the scorching heat of the midday sun just to delivery my groceries by 12noon. I’m happy that such hardworking and accommodating people are able to earn some extra cash during their spare time through their engagement with Honestbee.

Honestbee has extended its services beyond groceries to include food delivery. Some of the places I’ve already eaten at, including Tittos and Don Bao in Kapitolyo and Pi Breakfast & Pies in The Grove, now deliver through Honestbee. So just picture yourself ordering from your favorite resto using your phone everytime you get a craving.

Have I given you enough reasons to try Honestbee? Here’s another one!

annie-spratt-96529-unsplash

Sign up for Honestbee using my referral link and get Php500 off for a minimum spend of Php2,500. I also get a similar discount, so it’s actually win-win, hmmm?

Let me know what you think!

Download the Honestbee app on iTunes or Google Play.  Don’t forget to sign up for the service first using my referral link!

Xiao Long Bao is the star in Bai Nian Tang Bao, BGC

Xiao Long Bao is comprised of a savory meat filling (usually a mixture of ground pork and shrimp flavored with chopped green onions, salt, pepper, sugar, rice wine and sesame oil) accompanied by a fragrant soup (chicken broth infused with pork fat with herbs and aromatics) inside a delicately pliable bao wrapping.  This Chinese delicacy is usually prepared in a small bamboo steaming basket called xiaolong, hence the name xiao long bao.

Boldly claiming to be the origin of xiao long bao, Bai Nian Tang Bao, located inside Bonifacio Global City, promises to sate the cravings of fans of this dish.

Trivia: Did you know there’s a right way to eat the xiao long bao? Here’s a clue: it definitely does not involve immediately popping it into one’s mouth nor biting into it as we do other dumplings.  Nope, enjoying this special dish requires some special steps:

  1. Once served, allow the baos to rest in their basket for a few minutes.  This will allow the baos and their filling to cool and settle a bit.  You might want to take this time to prepare the sauce by combining the vinegar, soy sauce and minced ginger to your taste in a small saucer.
  2. Using your chopsticks, gently pick up a bao (make sure not to pierce through the wrapping), dip in the sauce then place it squarely on your spoon.
  3. Poke a small hole at the top of the bao with your chopsticks, just enough so that some of the steam inside can get out and you can slurp the soup from inside.
  4. Once the soup has been duly slurped, you can then pop the what remains into your mouth.
  5. Repeat as desired. 🙂

During a stopover in Bonifacio Global City, the fam decided to have a quick lunch at Bai Nian Tang Bao.  We ordered Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs (Php279) and Pepper Salt Chicken Strips (Php199) to go with our Beef Fried Rice (Php219) and Sausage Fried Rice (219). The pork ribs went well with the fried rice but the chicken strips were a little dry and much akin in flavor to the kind of chicken strips we would make at home. Of course, the star of the meal is the Xiao Long Bao (Php158) which was served in the traditional steaming basket. As we followed the correct way to eat this dish, we were able to fully enjoy its taste and texture.

Maybe next time we find ourselves in this resto, we’ll just get ourselves several orders of that xiao long bao, hmmm?

The restaurant has a nice minimalist feel to it with some Asian-inspired accents. The servers were also friendly and prompt with our requests.

Bai Nian Tang Bao is located at the Ground Floor, Uptown Parade, 9th Avenue corner 38th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.  It is open 11am to 10pm Mondays to Thursdays, 11am to 3am Fridays and 11am to 12midnight Saturdays to Sundays.

A silent Biblical character was given voice in Anita Diamant’s The Red Tent

The story of Jacob’s daughter Dinah is problematic for many Bible readers. The chapter in the book of Genesis in which she appeared is often referred to as the “rape of Dinah.”  After her abduction by the prince of Shechem and her subsequent marriage to him, her brothers Levi and Simeon carried out the murder of her husband and all the menfolk in the land, citing the dishonor done to their family.  After this narrative, Dinah was never heard of again.

Similar to most female characters in the Bible, Dinah is silent.  Other then the notation of her birth in an earlier chapter, what is written about her spans the thirty-one short verses in Genesis 34, none of which are direct quotations from her.

In The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, however, Dinah’s role, and those of the other women in the narrative, are greatly expanded.  Jacob’s wives, Leah and Rachel, evolved from sisters competing for the love of one man: they became leaders of the women in their tribe, guardians of women’s secret and sacred traditions.  Their handmaids, Bilhah and Zilpah, transformed from slave girls and concubines, to sisters and co-mothers of the Jacob’s wives.  Dinah, as the only girl among a brood of boys, became the cherished daughter of four mothers, the vessel of their hopes and dreams.

Much of the secret lives of these women took place in the red tent: it was the place where, under ancient law, women go into seclusion during menstruation or after childbirth.  It was here where their bonds are formed and strengthened, where they were bolstered by the encouragement and support of the other women in the tribe.

Dinah’s idyllic relationship with her family came to an end when she entered into her ill-fated marriage with Shalem, resulting into his murder at the hands of her brothers.

Cursing her father and brothers, she fled together with Shalem’s mother to Egypt where her mother-in-law raised her son among her family of scribes.

In the years that followed, Dinah built a life for herself: she became known for her skills in midwifery, she developed a close friendship with a fellow midwife, Meryt and was welcomed into her family, and she found new love in Benia, a woodworker in the Valley of Kings.

She would then encounter her long-lost brother, Joseph, who has risen high to become the Grand Vizier of Egypt, and who proposed to bring her back to her father’s camp to see him before he dies.

In this retelling of the Biblical tale, Diamant sheds light on the secret lives of women in ancient times. Their stories and traditions are passed down from mother to daughter, sister to sisters. Their bodies are celebrated and consecrated to their goddesses. Their roles within the tribes are shown as vital: they are caretakers, nurturers and healers, not just of their own children but of the whole community.

Diamant also calls attention to the weakness of men: how Jacob’s negligence of his sons resulted in the murder of Shalem and Joseph’s slavery in Egypt; how the malice of Simeon and Levi tore their family apart; and how Shalem’s love for Dinah made him agree to her brothers’ demands which resulted to the destruction of his people.

The novel is also one of hope: in the Bible, Dinah disappears from the narrative after the prince’s murder while in The Red Tent, she was able to forge her own path away from the protection of her family.

It also paints Egyptians, particularly the common people, in a new light, very far from depictions of oppressive slave-drivers towards Hebrews. Here, they are regular folks – midwives, scribes, carpenters and bakers – who are all simply living their lives.

The Red Tent is an important work, not just as a retelling of a Biblical tale, but as a depiction of the secret lives of women in ancient times. While Dinah, Leah, Rachel and their ilk were given minor roles in the Holy Book, in this novel, their lives and their stories are front and center.

I highly recommend this book to fans of Biblical fiction.

Click here to buy this book on Amazon.com.

In 2014, The Red Tent was adapted into a two-part miniseries starring Rebecca Ferguson (“Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, ” “The White Queen“) as Dinah, Minnie Driver (“Sleepers,” “Grosse Pointe Blank“) as Leah, Morena Baccarin (“Deadpool,” “Gotham“) as Rachel and Iain Glenn (“Game of Thrones“) as Jacob. Click here to watch the The Red Tent on Amazon Prime.  Watch it for free when you sign up for your 30-day trial.

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Baguio Trip Basics: How to do what you want to do in the City of Pines

Much has been said and written about what to do during a sojourn to Baguio City. From the places to visit, food to eat and stuff to buy, it really is a challenge to be able to tick off all the stuff in your Baguio itinerary. So for this post, I’ll focus on the how, the strategies you can use to make the most out of your trip.

During the fam’s recent trip to the City of Pines, we discovered that, as with most things, especially travelling, planning is key:

Know your priorities. For example, prior to setting out for this trip, we determined that the highlight for this trip is a visit to the BenCab Museum. With this as a priority, we were able to carve out most of our second day for this activity: from eating breakfast at the Cafe Sabel within the museum’s grounds, exploring the museum’s galleries, even getting notebooks that feature BenCab’s artworks from the souvenir shop.

Stay in the center of the action. It’s a good thing that the place where my family stayed during our vacay – Summerlin Appartelle, available on AirBnB – is conveniently located along Gibraltar Road: a stone’s throw away from The Good Shepherd Convent (where we shopped for pasalubongs for the folks back home including that famous Ube Jam!), and a short drive away from the Mansion House (where bought raisin breads that rival those from Baguio Country Club) and from Korean Palace (where we planned on pigging out on samgyeopsal and other Korean food favorites). Happily, the appartelle is also just on the adjacent street to where Amare La Cucina is located; this is where we met some of our relatives to catch up over some Baguio’s famously yummy brick oven pizzas. Also, with the traffic congestion and lack of parking spaces in the city, you might want to consider leaving the car where you’re staying and just taking a cab to where you want to go; fortunately, ride-hailing apps like Micab and Grab are already operational in Baguio.

(Not yet on AirBNB? Sign up using my link to get Php1,600 in travel credit.)

Leave some room for the Baguio must-dos. Things like shopping for walis tambo and eating strawberry taho at the Camp 7’s Pasalubong Center along Kennon Road as we were leaving Baguio rounded up the family’s Baguio experience.

Do you have tried-and-tested travel tips? Do share them in the comments!

Got the wanderlust? Check out these books on Amazon.com!

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Ramen Lunch at Don Bao, Kapitolyo

On our way to a bout of museum visits for our #Saturdate, my daughter and I decided to (again!) give in to our ramen craving and have an early lunch at Don Bao.

The resto is located in the foodie-friendly Kapitolyo area, along a line of eateries near D Ace Hotel. There is limited parking space here so you may want to park your vehicle in the nearby Pioneer Center if there are no more spaces available in front of the restaurant.

The resto’s name is a portmanteau of its main offerings: the donburi, or Japanese rice bowls (such Katsu Curry Don or Special Tendon), and the baos, or Chinese steamed folded buns that can be accompanied by practically any sort of fillings.

It is a quaint restaurant with cheery and colorful interiors, punctuated by cute and playful depictions of the resto’s ninja mascot on the walls and the store’s merchandise.

Thanks to an Eatigo offer, my daughter and I were able to enjoy 50% off on our orders:

  • Gyoza (Php160). The filling was flavorful but the wrapping was not as firm we were expecting.
  • Cheesy Bao (Php125) – I was intrigued by this combination of gyuniku, cheese, onion rings ans spring onions slid into a sliced bao. While I found the contrast of textures between the saucy, crunchy filling and the soft and puffy bao, the slightly sweet taste of the cheese was too overpowering.
  • Tonkotsu Ramen (Php299). I got the regular-flavored variant of this classic ramen flavor (as opposed to the spicier version). The broth and pork belly slice were full-flavored and the noodles were firm.
  • Pork Miso Ramen (Php299). My daughter was pretty satisfied with this ramen order but she requested that the corn kernels be removed (her personal preference).

We found the meal satisfying and a good departure from our everyday meals. Plus, with the Eatigo discount, the meal was made more affordable for us.

This Don Bao branch is located at Victoria Place 1 along Brixton Street, Kapitolyo, Pasig City. Another branch is situated at First Capital Condominium, along Rada Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City. For queries or to book a Don Bao stall for events, call +63 998 8638671 or email donbao.ph@gmail.com.

Register to Eatigo using this link and get up to 50% off your food bill in various restaurants in the metro as well as Php150 worth of rewards.

Want to have Don Bao delivered to your home or office? Download the HonestBee app through this link and get Php500 off purchases of Php2,500 or more.

Don Bao Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Age of Faith Series by Tamara Leigh presents inspirational romances set in the Middle Ages

The Medieval period (which lasted from the fifth to fifteenth century), also known as the Middle Ages, were also often referred to the Age of Faith.  It was at this time that most of Europe took on a deeply religious aspect, particularly in Christianity.

This is also the setting of Tamara Leigh’s Age of Faith series.  A prime example of the historical inspirational romance genre, the series covers the struggles of siblings belonging to a noble Christian family to find and keep love amidst the upheavals of twelfth century England.

Inspirational romances (or inspies) deal with the growth of the featured characters, their relationships and their spiritual development.  While physical attraction, romantic tension and emotional connection between the hero and heroine are delved into, explicit scenes and language have no place in such stories.

I found the first five books to be compelling reads, with engaging characters and plots.  The leads have a good amount of chemistry, while side characters add variety to the narrative and are sometimes spun off into leads in their own stories in the series.

Book 1: The Unveiling

In the first book of series, Baron Garr Wulfrith takes on a new squire for training, not knowing that the squire is actually Lady Annyn Bretanne in disguise, set on avenging her brother’s death which she blames on the baron.

Book 2: The Yielding

Wulfrith’s younger sister Beatrix fell into a life-altering accident while aiding her sister Gaenor in evading marriage to their family’s enemy.  The same accident also resulted in the death of one of their pursuers, whose brother, Michael D’Arci, is bent on revenge against Beatrix.

The Kindle version of this book is currently FREE on Amazon.com so click on the title or the image above and download today!

Book 3: The Redeeming

Gaenor fled her bethrothed Christian Lavonne, a man she has never met, in fear of potential abuse and recriminations due to her family’s long enmity with the Lavonnes and her recent sin. Christian, on the other hand, wants nothing more than to tend to his lands and people, and end the destruction brought about by his family’s feud with the Wulfriths.

Book 4: The Kindling

The secret illegitimate daughter of the Wulfriths’ longtime enemy, Helene Tippet finds herself put to the task of healing Sir Abel Wulfrith.

Book 5: The Longing

For eleven years, Everard Wulfrith carried the torch for his lost love Judith and blamed her sister-in-law Susannah de Balliol for their separation. Then Susannah reappears in his life along with her nephew who could also be his son.

The next three books, which I have not yet read, expand the scope of the series beyond the original family.  They follow the Wulfriths’ friends and allies and their own search for love.

Book 6: The Vexing

Lady Beata Fauvel is much sought-after among noblemen, being a wealthy heiress. When Sir Durand Marshal is ordered to guard her and ensure she does not wed without their sovereign’s approval, he finds himself drawn to the woman known as the Vestal Widow.

Book 7: The Awakening

Baron Lothaire Soames believes wealthy Lady Laura Middleton betrayed him years ago but he now pursues her as he is need of funds.  He finds himself falling for her again, wondering if he can forgive the one he can’t forget.

Book 8: The Raveling

Sir Elias de Morville sets out to rescue an abducted boy who could be his long lost son, aided by a mysterious woman known only as Honour.

For more details or to buy any of these books on Amazon.com, simply click on the titles.

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